Myanmar workers rescued

 July 20, 2017

Migrants extorted, held against their will  in Thailand

Over 100 Myanmar nationals were rescued this week after Thai authorities busted a human trafficking ring on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Members of the Thai-based migrant rights organisation Aid Alliance Committee (AAC), Labour Rights Promotion Network-LRP were alerted on Tuesday about the ring after five victims managed to escape. That same evening, the AAC teamed up with the Thai Department of Special Investigation and went to a house in Mahachai — located approximately 45 kilometres southwest of Bangkok — where the victims were reportedly being held.

There, they found 81 men and 38 women totalling 119 Myanmar workers who had had their passports confiscated by the brokers and were being forced to stay in the locked house with no access to external communication.

“They took between Ks500,000 and Ks700,000 from each person. When [the workers] got here, [the culprits] asked for an additional 9,000 Thai baht [approximately Ks364,0000].

It’s been two months since they arrived here and they still haven’t been given any work,” Ye Min, an AAC member, told 7Day. Another AAC member, Khaing Kyi, said: “[The police] have told us that they’ll help them get back their passports. Thai authorities are currently conducting an investigation. They’ve said that they won’t arrest the workers, and will help them retrieve their passports and find work.” The workers told authorities that there were two brokers — one Thai and one Myanmar. Thai police have the Myanmar broker in custody, and are currently on the hunt for the Thai national. Both will be tried under human trafficking charges.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar